A rare and unusual map of the world on two separate sheets

Description

This map presents the world across a pair of sheets, with one showing the Western Hemisphere and the other – the Eastern Hemisphere. Each hemisphere is depicted in a frame, with each corner adorned by a vignette.

The Western Hemisphere features the following cartographic myths:

• California as an island
• the (semi-mythical) Straet Anian, i.e. Strait of Anián
• the Rio Grande, appearing as R. del Norte, flowing into the Gulf of California
• Lake Xarayes (Lago d[e] los Xarayas), in central South America – one of the presumed gateways to El Dorado.

Further hallmarks include:

• There is no detail for the northwest coast of North America beyond the Strait of Anián.
• Greenland and the Arctic appear connected to North America.
• New Netherland is named (Nieu Nederland), shown south of what appears to be the St. Lawrence River, which, in turn, is depicted as the outlet of a rudimentary very large lake, presumably one of the Great Lakes.
• The Mississippi River is emerging, still lacking detail.
• Hokkaido is named Iedso, i.e. a spelling variant of its historical name of Ezo.
• New Zealand (Zelandia Nova) is hinted at, with an incomplete and still misunderstood western coastline, showing Manawatāwhi / the Three Kings Island(s) (t. Eylandt dri Coningen), located northwest of the New Zealand mainland, Cape Maria van Diemen (C. Maria van Diemen), at the northern tip of the North Island, and Golden Bay (Moordenaers Bay), at the northern tip of the South Island, in one uninterrupted line and relatively close to each other.

The Eastern Hemisphere displays the following notable features:

• Asia’s proportions are still misunderstood.
• Northeast Asia is severely truncated.
• There is nothing in the way of a possible northeast passage.
• The Great Wall of China appears.
• The cartographic myth of Lake Chimay is shown but not named.
• There are incomplete coastlines for Spitsbergen/Svalbard, eastern Novaya Zemlya (Nova Zemla), eastern Australia (Hollandia Nova), and most of Tasmania (Anteny van Diemens Landt).
• New Guinea appears connected to Australia.

The vignettes in each corner around the hemispheres depict native peoples and allegorical figures representing the continents. Examples across the two hemispheres include:

• America, shown as a native with feather skirt and headdress, smoking a pipe 
• an Asian native, sitting next to a bear which appears to have killed a person
• a European sailor, sitting on an anchor and holding a paddle, with a map in his lap which displays the Cape of Good Hope (C Bona Esperan[illegible])
• Europe, shown as a queen with crown, scepter, and orb, accompanied by an eagle
• Asia, appearing as a woman holding a crown, flanked by a what appears to be a vicious dog or wild animal
• Africa, wearing a headdress, armed with bow and arrows, with a leopard by her side.

Engraved by Henricus Irnsingerus, i.e Heinrich Irnsinger. Dated 1687 next to his name inscription.

An uncommon map with many curious details to discover.

Publication

Mundus mirabilis tripartitus : oder, Wunderbare Welt in einer kurtzen cosmographia fürgestellet [1687-1689]

[OR]

Historia moderna Europae : oder Historische Beschreibung des heutigen Europa, seit dem Münsterischen Friedens-Schluss, von Jahren zu Jahren mit schönen Contrefaiten und andern Kupffern [1692]

Note: Image shows pagination annotation (Pag i.) in top centre.

Condition

Good.

Printed on watermarked paper. Issued folding, now flattened. Coloured throughout. Professional repairs to splitting and minor loss along centrefolds and to minor tears in Western Hemisphere lower centre (5 cm / 2 in, in image) and bottom left margin as well as Eastern Hemisphere bottom centre margin left (2.5 cm / 1 in) and right (4.5 cm / 1.8 in), both reaching into image. Minor surface dirt.

Item #: 02893

US $3,000.00

other currencies